Multiple Extruders

[DestroDave]

???So How Do We Do It???

Hey to all you Arduino enthusiasts. Heard that its possible to push multiple extruders off the Mega. So lets do this! I’m looking for experience. Also people who are just smarter than I am. Even some good questions from people who wanna learn as bad as I do.

[CollectorCNC]

This is pretty simple. Marlin supports this with simple config settings in the configuration.h file. Check out the reprap wiki for complete instructions.

[zimzf23]

I’m upgrading my prusa i3 to the E3D chimera, and well, you just need to add a stepper motor + stepper driver, and then at configuration.h change some stuff, like the number of extruders and the thermistors

[zimzf23]

PD: (that in marlin)

[Sra1]

Adding a second extruder may have implications for available power. For example on a ramps 1.4 with one existing hot-end and a power-hungry heatbed, you might need to upgrade the yellow fuses on the ramps - mine were tripping mid-print every time the heatbed ran for a few mins at print temp. A quick trip to ebay and a soldering iron soon fixed that. Another way is to move to using relays.

I’ve not gotten into multi-extruding yet, its on my upgrade list, but seems simple enough:

- hardware (hotend(s),extruders,bowden etc)

- firmware

- slicer settings

- 3d design for multi-colour (assuming you’re planning multi-colour rather than just 1 nozzle for permiters and details, and one for infill - but that would be a great place to start!)

good luck, keep us posted

[zimzf23]

true, using a relay for the heated should work; i havent done any print with dual yet, but will see. Yes is pretty simple.

-hardware: got a E3D chimera bowden, 2 cold ends 1 nema 17 (already had one) and a driver. (It all costed me 200€ aprox)

-firmware: Just upadate some config

-Slicer: Simplify 3d and repetier host offer a great dual extrusion support; i workis like you put 2 models and it sticks them 1 for each color; gotta test still

-designing: just splitting to 2 models; Don’t know how PVA supports should work, gotta check it out still